Sentinel mail signal

ABSTRACT

A signal device secured to a rural mail box so to notify a rural resident whether a mailman has stopped at the mailbox, thus eliminating the resident walking to the mailbox before the mailman arrives, the device consisting of a downwardly pivotable flag that is attached to a hook insertable between the mailbox and the mailbox front door so that when the door is opened, the hook slips out so that the flag is downwardly pulled by gravity into a position where it can be clearly seen from the house.

United States Patent [191 Harmon 1 June 11, 1974 SENTINEL MAIL SIGNAL[76] Inventor: F. L. Harmon, 1612 Lincolnton Rd.,

Salisbury, NC. 28144 [22] Filed: Jan. 16, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 324,211

[52] US. Cl. 232/35 [51] Int. Cl A47g 29/12 [58] Field of Search 232/35,34, 17

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS v 1,471,364 10/1923 Schrock232/35 2,483,992 10/1949 Young 232/35 2,567,459 9/1951 Yoder 232/352,673,682 3/1954 Harrison 232/35 2,988,268 6/1961 Mioduski 232/353,013,715 12/1961 Fereuici 232/35 3,143,287 8/1964 Holt 232/35 3,547,07012/1970 Schuh 232/35 3,650,464 3/1972 Lewis 2.32/35 PrimaryExaminer-Francis K. Zugel [5 7] ABSTRACT 1 Claim, 4 Drawing FiguresSENTINEL MAIL SIGNAL This invention relates generally to ruralmailboxes. More specifically it relates to rural mailbox signal devices.

It is generally well known that in many rural areas, the house islocated a relatively long distance away from a rural mailbox. It is alsowell known that rural mail delivery consists of a mailman deliveringmail of rural residents within a mailbox located alongside the road sothat a rural resident is obliged to walk from his house to the road forpicking up his mail. Such walk from the house can be particularlyobjectionable in times of inclement weather such as when it is raining,orwhen the snow is deep. Accordingly, rural residents are reluctant totrudge out to the mailbox and find the chore unprofitable particularlywhen they find that the mailman has left no mail for them. Thissituation is of course objectionable and in want of an improvement.

Accordingly it is a principal object of the present invention to providea sentinel mail signal which will indicate to a resident in his homewhether or not a mailman has come to his mailbox.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sentinel mailsignal which comprises an accessory that is readily attachable to anyrural mailbox without the necessity of purchasing an entirely newmailbox.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sentinelmail signal which is quick and easy to set and which does not in any wayinterfere with the normal operation of a rural mailbox.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a sentinel mailsignal which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged inconstruction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will become readily evident upon a study of thefollowing specification together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. I is a front perspective view of a mailbox showing the presentinvention mounted thereto and shown in a set position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view thereof and showing the sentinel mailsignal in an indicating position for notifying a rural resident that amailman has stopped at the box;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the present invention shown per se;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view thereof.

. Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeralrepresents a sentinel mail signal, according to the present invention,wherein the same comprises an assembly 11 that is attachable to aconventional rural mailbox 12.

The assembly 11 consists of a flag member 12 made preferably of sheetmetal, a hook member 13 formed likewise of sheet metal, and a mountingassembly 14.

The flag member 12 isbent into an angle shape so as to include arelatively'wider side 15 and a relatively narrower side 16 which are atright angles to each other. The opposite surfaces of the side 15 can bebrightly painted so as to serve as a flag that can be seen from aresidence which may be some distance away. The side 16 has a singularopening 17 therethrough and through which the mounting assembly 14 isfitted.

The mounting assembly 14 includes a collar 18 on each side of theopening 17, the collars being soldered to the flag member side 16, asshown in FIG. 4. A bolt 19 is inserted through an opening drilled in aside wall 20 of the mailbox 12, the bolt being passed through thecollars 18, the opening 17 and then being fitted through a washer 21, alock washer 22 and then being secured by means of a nut 23.

The hook member 13 is of angle shape and includes a protruding hook 24at its one end. The hook member 13 is secured to the side 16 of the flagmember by means of a pair of rivets 25.

As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the sentinel mail signal is securedto the mailbox spaced a perscribed distance away from the mailbox door26 so that the hook 24 can be slipped between a side flange 27 of door26 and the side 20 of the mailbox 12. The mounting position of assembly11 is such that when it is pivoted about the bolt 19 that the hook 24will swing pass and clear the pivot pin 28 of the mailbox door 26. Thematerial of the hook member is preferably relatively thin so that itwill easily slip into the space between the flange 27 and the mailbox.In order to insure that the flag will be frictionally retained in theset position, the hook may be arcuately bent so that it will readilyengage both surfaces of the mailbox and the door flange regardlesswhether the space is narrow or wide.

In setting up the device, the resident simply sets the flag member in ahorizontal position as shown in FIG. 1, and the hook 24 is insertedbetween the flange 27 and side 20 of the rural mailbox. After a mailmanhas stopped at the mailbox, he pulls the door 26 down, thus causing theflange to free the hook 24 and then gravity causes the flag to pivotdownwardly into the position as shown in FIG. 2. In this position, theflagsurfaces can be readily seen from a house so that a resident willknow that the mailman has arrived at the box.

What I now claim is:

1. In a Sentinel Mail Signal, the combination of a rural mail box, and asignal assembly secured pivotally to one side of said mail box, saidsignal unit being automatically operated when a door of said mail box isopened, so that said signal assembly is in a position to notify aresident that mail has been delivered at his mail box, said signalassembly comprising a flag member, a hook member and a mountingassembly, said flag assembly comprising an angle shaped sheet metalmember having an opening through one side thereof for receiving saidmounting assembly, said hook member being an L-shaped member thatincludes a hook at one end of one side thereof, and being secured bymeans of rivets to said side of said flag member having said opening,said mounting assembly including a collar secured on each opposite sidesof said opening of said flag member, a bolt being passed through saidcollars after being inserted through an opening in a side of said mailbox, the opposite end of said bolt receiving a plain washer, a lockwasher and a nut, the other side of said flag and the other side of saidhook member extending in opposite directions and on a same flat planewhereby said other side of said hook member is aligned to abut againstan underside of said mail box, and said hook member being of relativelythin material so that said hook fits into a crevice space formed betweena side of said mail box and a side flange of said mail box door. =l=

1. In a Sentinel Mail Signal, the combination of a rural mail box, and asignal assembly secured pivotally to one side of said mail box, saidsignal unit being automatically operated when a door of said mail box isopened, so that said signal assembly is in a position to notify aresident that mail has been delivered at his mail box, said signalassembly comprising a flag member, a hook member and a mountingassembly, said flag assembly comprising an angle shaped sheet metalmember having an opening through one side thereof for receiving saidmounting assembly, said hook member being an L-shaped member thatincludes a hook at one end of one side thereof, and being secured bymeans of rivets to said side of said flag member having said opening,said mounting assembly including a collar secured on each opposite sidesof said opening of said flag member, a bolt being passed through saidcollars after being inserted through an opening in a side of said mailbox, the opposite end of said bolt receiving a plain washer, a lockwasher and a nut, the other side of said flag and the other side of saidhook member extending in opposite directions and on a same flat planewhereby said other side of said hook member is aligned to abut againstan underside of said mail box, and said hook member being of relativelythin material so that said hook fits into a crevice space formed betweena side of said mail box and a side flange of said mail box door.